“This is a lot for us. Imagine how she’s feeling.” She came around and sat, facing them. “I know you two have questions.” Her smile wavered. “It’s up to her to answer them. Or not.”
Tansy nodded. None of them would push—that wasn’t their way.
“Until then, we’re here for her.” Astrid took Tansy’s hand.
“Always.” Tansy cradled her hand in both of hers, her heart squeezed so tight it hurt.
“Bee Girls, always,” Astrid murmured. “Taking care of one another, no matter what.”
Camellia smiled as Jammie and Beeswax curled together on her lap. “Just like Poppa Tom wanted.”
Thinking of the big barrel-chested man that loved to laugh and spend time with his family led to more questions for Tansy. What had happened? What about Poppa Tom and Granna Hazel? Did they know about Shelby’s existence? What had happened to Aunt Mags? Why had she kept this secret for so long?
There was only one thing that Tansy knew with absolute certainty. As hard as it was to wrap her mind around it, there was no denying it. One look and Tansy had known. Auntie Mags was Shelby Dunholm’s mother.
“ITHINKIT’LLWORK. Hell, I think it’ll look great.” Everett Taggert tipped his cowboy hat back on his head and surveyed the framing for the Viking Hall event space. “I mean, assuming you get the plans approved by city council.”
Dane scratched his stubble-lined jaw. “Unless something’s changed, they were looking at this as a win-win.”
Everett shrugged.
“If you’re trying to tell me something, spit it out.” Dane ran a hand along the back of his neck, rubbing at the stiffness. “I’d rather stop now than waste time I don’t have.” He was tired of fighting for things no one else wanted. If he was the only one that saw the potential in all this, maybe he needed to step back and reevaluateeverything.
“As far as I know, everyone’s still gung ho.” Everett followed him around the stakes that marked out the hall’s floor plan. “You are looking a little rough, though.”
“Yeah, well...” Since chasing down Leif in Elginston last Saturday, Dane had been busting his ass. Not only was he trying to keep some sort of balance with Leif but he’d been trying to unravel his father’s latest mess. Little things like sleep and regular meals and shaving had taken a back seat.
He glanced down, his eye catching on the walking path. His ancestors had fit the large, earthy and muted jewel-toned river rocks snugly together to form a series of paths that wound all over the property. As he got older, he’d come to respect the quality craftsmanship and backbreaking effort of the preceding Knudsons. They’d taken no shortcuts—this path reflected that. It was a deep red border stone that grabbed his attention. A vein-like crack ran across the large, smooth surface. Something about the imperfection put a knot in Dane’s throat. He knelt, running his finger along the hairline fracture.Hold it together. He rolled his neck and stood, brushing his hands together. “One more thing to fix.”
“I’m happy to lend a hand, Dane.” Everett’s brow furrowed. “I could use the exercise.” He patted his flat stomach.
Dane shot his friend a warning look. “Be careful, I might take you up on your offer.”
“Good. I meant it.”
Dane didn’t doubt it. But, even with Everett’s help, it wouldn’t make up for the two employees his father had let go—three if he counted last week.
He might be COO of Texas Viking Honey, but his father seemed determined to make sure that didn’t mean a damn thing. Dane wanted copies of their past season harvesting supplies, his father couldn’t find the file. Dane wanted to upgrade their software, but his father had canceled their subscription altogether. Dane wanted to set up access to their bank and accounts online, his father refused to sign off on the paperwork. His father wanted him to run the place, day in, day out, but he didn’t want Dane’s questions or interference. He preferred to keep Dane in the dark on most things—make sure he kept all the power.
“Your dad still holing up in the hunting cabin?” Everett scratched the back of his neck.
“If the pattern holds, he should be emerging soon.” Dane was all too familiar with his father’s post-divorce routine. Like a bear waking up from hibernation, Harald Knudson would emerge from his den—hunting cabin—and move back into the main house grouchy and irritable and raring for a fight.
Not that having his father back under the same roof would make the man communicate. It had gotten to the point where Dane was beginning to believe his father wanted him to fail.But if I fail, Texas Viking Honey fails.Didn’t his father get it? An all too familiar flare of resentment had Dane clenching his jaw. “I’m hoping he’ll take some time to get things squared away herebeforehe starts looking for his next Mrs. Knudson.”
Everett clapped him on the back. “Maybe he’ll find some middle-aged vixen that winters in Florida to sweep him off his feet and finally hand over Texas Viking Honey to you.”
“I wish.” Dane had to chuckle at the thought. His father? With an age-appropriate spouse?Unlikely. The older Harald Knudson got, the younger his wives seemed to be. And outright handing over Texas Viking Honey to Dane? It was impossible to picture.
“Until that happens, what are you going to do? You can’t do it all. I know people keep saying you look like Thor but, I hate to tell you this, you’re not.” Everett laughed as Dane glared his way.
“Hilarious,” Dane ground out, but he ended up smiling, too.
They’d been friends since grade school. From flag football to college graduation, Everett always had his back. He had a level head and a terrific sense of humor but he also had no problem calling Dane out when he needed it—or teasing the shit out of him, just because. Everett was one of the few people Dane could be completely candid with.
They wandered along the river path, winding through a cluster of black willows, then up and away from the river, to one of the apiaries. Soon enough, the sound of water was muffled by the hum of the bees. Dane handed Everett some gloves and a slip veil to use over his cowboy hat—Everett wasn’t exactly at ease around the hives.
“Thanks.” Everett tugged on the gloves and dropped the veil down over his hat to cover his face and neck.
